Tool handle



Dec. 21, 1943. G. R. wlLcox TOOL HANDLE 2 sheets-sheec 1 Filed Dec. 11.,1940 INVENTOR I 650,666@ h//Lcox 9 Q :4in1 ATTORNEY Dec. 21, 1943. G, RwlLcOX 2,337,514

TOOL HANDLE Fi 1ed Dec. 11, 1940 z'sheets-sheet 2 INVENTOR Gio/Q65 f?./4// cox.

ATTORNEY 1 Patented Dec. 21, 1943 canso smi* gs TENT iFlCE.

'rooL HANDLE Application December 11, 1940l Serial No. 369,546

l; Claim.

This invention relates to tool. handles and particularly to handles fortools of the push drill type in which a tool element is placed ina chucksecured at the end of the tool and the element caused to rotate in rstone direction and then the other when the handle of: they tool ispushed.

towards the working surfaceand allowed to return again to its normalposition.

An object of the invention is to proviclea sturdy magazine handle for atool with compartments for receiving a number of different toolelements, the tool elements being visible through the handle.

Another object of the invention is to provide a magazine tool handleA ofthe type described in which any one of a plurality of to-ol elementscarried by the handlemay be selected quicklyand easily therefrom and thetoolhandle maintainedv ready to receive the-tool element afterit hasbeen used.

Another object of the invention is toprovide a magazine handle for atool of thepush` drill type with a rigid, solid structure from theouterend of the handle where pressure isapplied to the rotation controllingmechanism.

Still another object of the invention is to pro*- vide a magazine handlefor a tool of the push` drill type with a single rotatablemember toselect the desired toolA element which is independent of the pressuretransmitting portions of the handle.

The. invention accordingly. comprises thev fea:- 1i

tures of. construction, combinations of elements,

and arrangement of parts, which` will beexemplined in the constructionshereinafter set forth,

and the scope oi the application of which willbe indicated in the claim.

For. a fuller understanding of the nature and4 objects of the invention.referencesllould be had,

to the following detailed description taken in connection with. theaccompanying drawings,` in which:

Fig. l is a side elevational View of a pushdrill embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a top View of thedrill.' shown in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectionalview ofthe main portion ofthe handletaken on the line 3-3 of' Fig. 7 is` an exploded View of the severalparts forming the handle ofthe invention.

Although theY invention is applicable to any tool of the push drilltype, such as screw drivers, reamers or the like, I have illustrated itin connection with a push drill.

My improved push drill, as shown in Fig, l, comprises a handle member itto the endof which is connected a tubular member I I into which theshank I2 carrying the chuck I3 is arranged to telescope movement of theshank I 2 into and out of the member II causes rotation of the chuckandvtool element when the tool is operated. The present invention isconcerned with the magazine handle I0 and not with the operatingmechanism of the tool which may be of conventional design.

The handle IIJ comprises a central core member I 4 which is rigidlysecured in any desired manner on the endof a sleeve I5. The sleeve isprovided at approximately its midpoint with a rib or bead I6 againstwhich the core member I4 rests. The other end Il of the sleeve I5 isexternally threaded to receive the tubular member I I which is`screwed.` tightly against the rib I6 and acts to hold the operatingmechanism of the push drill in position upon the handle. The sleeve I5is provided with internal helical grooves I8 which engage the helicalribs (not shown) on the handle ndlllif the shank I2 within the tubularmem- The core member Iii is hollow but has a solid ber, the lower end ofthe spring passing downV into the hollow core of the shank i2 to urgethe shank andthe chuck I3 away from the handle. A central. rod2I of woodor other suitable material may be provided inside of the spring, with anob 22. at the top thereof to separate the upper end of' the springfrcmthe solid portion I9 of thecore member I4 and at the same time toprevent the spring from distorting sidewise. The shank l2 is preventedfrom being pushed out of the lower end ofthe tubular sleeve l! by therestricted end 23 ofthe tubular member I I which is smaller in diameterthan the helical teeth on the shank 21.

AsV above, constructed, when the core memberl I4 is forced toward thechuck i3, the shank I2 will move into the sleeve IE and into the hollowinterior of the core member against the tension of thespring 26. At thesame time the helical ribs or teeth on the shank I2 will engage thehelical grooves I8v of the sleeve I5 and cause the shank to rotate in agiven direction. Release of the pressure cn the core I4 will permit thespring to force the shank outwardly and the helical teeth on the shankwill cooperate with the helical grooves in the sleeve I5 to causerotation of the shank in the opposite direction.

The core member I4 may be made of any suitable material and is providedwith a plurality of longitudinal grooves 25, extending for approximatelytwo thirds of the distance from end to end thereof. These grooves arespaced equally around the outside of the core, leaving webs orpartitions 26 between them. I have shown the core I4 divided into nineequal spaces, with the grooves 25 occupying eight of these spaces andthe ninth space left solid and provided with a hole 28 extendinglongitudinally a short distance into the material from the outer end ofthe core. This hole contains mechanism for a purpose to be laterdescribed.

The end 29 of the core I4, adjacent the sleeve I5, is cylindrical andhas a diameter approximately equal to a circle drawn through the innersurfaces of the grooves 25. The ends of the partitions 26 taper downtoward the end of the core. A quil1 32 of suitable material is providedwith a circular opening 33 to t over the end 29 of the core member, thecircular opening having a plurality of grooves 34 to receive thetapering ends of the partitions 26, the arrangement being such that thequill 32 will have a tight friction nt upon the end of the core member.It may be secured thereon in any other desirable manner. The end of thequill towards the core member is slightly larger in diameter than theoverall diameter of the core member, and the outside of the quill iscurved and tapered to a diameter at the other end which is slightlylarger than the diameter 0f the bead I6 on the sleeve I5.

A shell 36 is provided to t over the core member I4. This shell is longenough to reach from the quill 32 to approximately the outer end of thecore member and may be provided with a plurality of longitudinal grooves38 to receive the outer edges of the partition members 26 and thusprevent the shell 36 from rotating. The outer surface of the shell 36 ispreferably provided with a plurality of flat surfaces 36, there beingone flat surface for each of the grooves 25 in the core member and onefor the solid space containing the hole 28. This makes nine ilat sides,the intersections of which are aligned with the grooves 38 for thepartition members 26. The shell 36 cooperates with the core member I4 toform a plurality of compartments formed by the grooves 25 and thepartitions 26, and I preferably make the shell of transparent plasticmaterial so that the tool elements 45 which may be contained in thesecompartments will be visible from the outside.

The central portion 42 of the core I4 is extendi ed slightly beyond theremainder of the core and is circular in cross-section to receiverotatably a disc 44 having an opening 45 in the center to ii't over theportion 42 and having an outer diameter which is slightly larger thanthe overall diameter of the shell 36. The outer edge of the disc ispreferably milled, as at 46, so as to provide a gripping surface for theiingers to permit rotation of the disc manually with respect to the coremember I4 and the shell 36. The disc is also provided with a hole 41,spaced from the central opening 45 so as to align successively with thegrooves 25 in the core member I4 when the disc is rotated. The disc isalso provided with a plurality of equally spaced indentations 48 on oneside thereof, positioned the same distance from the center hole 41 whichdistance corre.-`

sponds to the distance of the hole 28 from the center of the core member44.

A cap 50 is provided on the outer end of the handle to hold the disc inposition. This cap may be rigidly secured to the core member I4 in anydesired manner. I have shown for this purpose an extended portion 5I onthe central portion 42 of the core I4 which is square in crosssectionand is adapted to fit into a square opening 52 centrally located in thecap 50. A screw 53, the head of which seats in a counter-sunk opening 54in the cap, passes through a central hole 55 therein and engages atapped hole 56 in the outer end of the core I4. The inner surface of thecap 50 is arranged to permit clearance between th cap and the disc 44when the screw 53 is tightened, so as to secure the cap 5D rigidlyagainst the core member I4 but permit the disc to rotate.

By this arrangement the disc 44 may be rotated by manual engagement ofthe milled surface 46 thereof without rotating either the sleeve 36 orthe cap 5U which remain rigidly connected together. The cap 5l) isprovided with a plurality of holes 58 spaced in a circle around the capat the same distance from the center thereof as the hole 41 in the disc44 is spaced from the center of the disc. There is one of the holes 58for each of the compartments formed by the grooves 25 in the core I4 sothat there are eight holes with one large space. The holes are alignedwith the compartments and the space with the hole 28.

A plunger 68 is provided in the hole 28 and has a conical outer end 6I.A spring 62 is compressed between the plunger and the inner end of thehole 28, so as to urge the plunger against the disc 44. When the hole 41in the disc is in alignment with the hole 28 in the core, the pointedend 6I of the plunger 60 extends up into the hole 41. However, theplunger is prevented from moving upwardly any farther by the solidportion of the cap 58. This engagement of the plunger with the hole 41holds the disc 44 in position with all of the compartments, formed bythe grooves 25, closed by the disc, but a little extra rotationalpressure on the edge of the disc will cause the plunger to compress thespring as the edge of the hole 41 in the disc rides over the conical endof the plunger. The disc may then be rotated to align the hole 41 withany one of the compartments formed by the grooves 25, and as this isdone the plunger is forced upwardly, snapping into each of theindentations 48 as the particular indentation passes over the plunger.When the hole 41 is aligned with the desired compartment, one of theindentations 48 is aligned with the plunger which moves upwardly intothe indentation and holds the disc against accidental movement.

In the operation of the push drill described to illustrate theinvention, a plurality of drill elements 48 are positioned in thecompartments of the magazine handle. When it is desired to use one ofthese drill elements, the disc 44 is rotated until the hole 41 isaligned with the hole 58 corresponding to the compartment which containsthat drill element. In order for the operator to know that the hole 41is thus in proper alignment, I provide a notch 66 on the edge of thedisc 44 adjacent the hole 41, which notch may be given a contrastingcolor, if desired, so that the operator need only rotate the disc untilthe notch 66 aligns with the particular drill element, as viewed throughthe transparent shell 36. The

indentation 48 on the disc, which is then over the plunger 60, willreceive the end 6I of the plunger, to thus position the disc so that thehole 41 is in proper alignment with the compartment and with thecorresponding hole 58 in the cap t. By tipping the tool so that thehandle is pointed downwardly, the particular drill element may be movedby gravity from its compartment in the handle and then inserted in thechuck I3 for use.

While the drill is being used, the handle is grasped by the ngers withthe heel of the hand pressing against the cap 50. Since the cap is rigidwith respect to the core member I4 and also with respect to the shell36, there will be no tendency for the disc 44 to be rotated, and afterthe tool has been used, the notch 66 in the edge of the disc will stillbe found to be aligned with the compartment from which the tool elementwas removed and will indicate the position of the compartment.Therefore, the tool element can be returned to its proper compartmentwith the greatest of ease and the disc rotated again to bring theplunger 6B into engagement with the hole 41 which thus locks all of thecompartments so that the tool elements cannot be removed.

It will be seen from the above description that I have provided amagazine handle for a tool of the push drill type which permits the toolelements carried thereby to be clearly visible at all times and by meansof which any one of such tool elements may be removed easily and quicklyfor use in the drill, while the compartments from which it was removedwill be left open during the use of the tool, so that the tool elementmay `be just as easily returned to its proper compartment, without thenecessity of any additional adjustment of the handle parts. The rigidconstruction of the cap and core member permit hard usage of the toolWithout damage to the moving disc which controls the selection of thetool elements.

Since certain changes may be made in the above construction anddifferent embodiments of the invention could be made without departingfrom the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in theabove description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall beinterpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claim is intended tocover all of the generic and specic features of the invention hereindescribed, and all statements of the scope of the invention which as amatter of language might be said to fall therebetween.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

A magazine tool handle comprising a handle member, a, plurality ofcompartments arranged longitudinally in said handle member with openingsin the end thereof equally spaced from the center thereof, a cap member,means rigidly to secure said cap member upon the end of said handlemember, means to space the outer edge of said cap member from the end ofsaid handle member to form an annular groove around the end of thehandle, said cap member having a plurality of holes spaced at an equaldistance from the center thereof and arranged to align with the openingsof said compartments when said cap is secured to said handle member,there being a separate hole for each opening, a ring member rotatablymounted in the groove between said member and cap, said ring memberhaving one hole therein which is adapted to align successively with theopenings of said compartments when said ring member is rotated, andresilient means to retain said ring member with the hole aligned withany one of said openings or, alternatively, in a position where it isnot aligned with any of said openings, said ring member being lightlylarger in diameter than said handle member and said cap whereby saidring member may be manually operated.

GEORGE R. WILCOX.

